Post a picture of yourself!

[Tycho]

Alright! Are you ready to ROCK?!

These pictures are from the Anaheim Queensryche concert at Downtown Disneyland, House of Blues.

Here is me and my friend Christina (also from San Diego) with bass player and vocalist Eddie Jackson (Ed Bass).

Next is me with lead singer Geoff Tate, the world's best voice 10 times over!

And next is me with drummer Scott Rockenfield (Scotty that keeps the engines running).

This band is just so awesome. These photos were taken at the private party for selected guests after the concert, just prior to everyone leaving Anaheim, heading back to San Diego.

[Tycho]

More from the Queensryche show (Anaheim Downtown Disneyland House of Blues):


This is a good sized group of us from the after-show private party where the band meets and greets invited fans.

The next pic is me and Guitar Hero Michael Wilton (The Whip) who plays lead guitar in the band.

This was such a good time. I saw the show for several nights in a row and I'm completely drained and tired, but I'm so wanting to go to another concert!

These guys rock!

[Mr. JabbaJohnL]

Cool! I don't know much about them, but I know you really love the band. Have you met them before?

And what's the deal with Christina? Your "friend", eh?

[sith_killer_99]

Dude, Geoff Tate is an incredible vocalist! Awesome pics man.

BTW, Glenn Danzig is also an awesome vocalist, when he wants to be, and a talented composed (Black Aria rocked).

[Blue2th]

Way cool! Geoff and you could almost be brothers in that pic.
He grew his hair out.

Where's the other guitarist Chris DeGarmo?

[THE Slayer]

Hello, you!!

hahaha. Thanks!

[bobafrett]

Nice pics Josh!

[Tycho]

Cool! I don't know much about them, but I know you really love the band. Have you met them before?

Yes, I met Queensryche on April 2, at a promo for their new album (released March 31) at Best Buy, in Thousand Oaks, Calif. The band is from Seattle, Washington, but went around the country for promo appearances where music is sold (most stops were in California). There they signed autographs and I got one of their new CD's signed for BobaFrett and I took one of the newspaper clippings about his kidney donation and a picture of the two of us so that they would know who they were signing for. I have a picture of bass guitarist Ed Jackson reading the article from the Elmhurst Press ('Frett's hometown newspaper) concerning his brave gift that saved my life. I sent those to Barry, as you can barely see me at the edge of the frame in each of them anyway. (My friend took the pictures and she was mainly trying to get the band members in her photos.)

When I saw them again beginning April 22 and thereafter, they remembered me and my story. Geoff Tate immediately asked me how my doctors said I was doing. He's a really sincere, kind person. Before this past month, I never knew what exactly to expect from a major rock star. But this band's members are some of the coolest people I've ever met - and I got to spend a good deal of time with them on this latest tour so I feel alright making that call.

And what's the deal with Christina? Your "friend", eh?

She's my friend. I met her at another Queensryche concert some years ago. Now we see a lot of shows together. It's great having a friend that loves the same kind of music as you do.

Dude, Geoff Tate is an incredible vocalist! Awesome pics man.

Thanks and I totally agree about Geoff!!! I've been a fan for over 20 years. I reflected on that with him personally when I remembered that Queensryche was in the tapedeck when I was first learning to drive.

Way cool! Geoff and you could almost be brothers in that pic.

Cool. But I just got a new brother with BobaFrett. Now I get these strange urges to buy Stormtrooper armor...

Glad he got the FX Lightsaber bug though. That's a healthy addiction.

He grew his hair out.

Yeah, his hair has been long since at least 2006. After my brain aneurysm (Aug. 2005), Queensryche was the first rock concert I lept to go to (Oct. 2006). In fact, I got a voicemail message that I'd been approved to get a kidney transplant while I was staying at a hotel on San Diego's main waterfront with my former girlfriend from back in high school who I brought out to go to the show with me. That was always one thing I took her do back then, too (Empire Tour in those days). So I saw Mindcrime II (which was actually the full 3 hour concert of the whole Operation Mindcrime with stage sets and weapons and costumes for at least 9 different actors who joined the band to put on a super show - and I went to that 4 times from Oct 2006 to Dec 2006 in a few different towns around the Southwest.) Then I saw their greatest hits played live in 2007, and in 2008 I saw their cover-song tour, which was accompanied by a set list compiled by their fans on the internet. I usually see them play about 3 times every year. I love it that they like to tour so much and interact with their fans like this. When I'm restored to full health and all my surgeries are over, I'm going to follow them around the country to various shows in states where I already have friends I can visit. A few plane tickets and a collection of those little shampoo bottles you get in hotel rooms and I might finally wash that obsession out of me. (Probably not though. And I'll just be hoping they don't retire so I can do it again!)

Where's the other guitarist Chris DeGarmo?

His wife made him quit the band. She didn't want him constantly touring. He became an airline pilot, but he has occasionally played with the full band while they're home in Seattle. He also sang with Geoff Tate on a song they wrote together and performed as Queensryche.

He is the only man to ever be replaced in the original lineup for this band. There have been three (3) guitarists since:

Kelly Gray (who mixes and produces for Queensryche, even working on their latest album).

Mike Stone a guitarist in his 30's (who was the best - next to DeGarmo - in my opinion, who left to play more punk music and forge a new sound for himself. Queensryche provides links on their website to Stone's projects, so there's only good friendship going on there).

Parker Lungren, who's 22 years old I think, and used to work for the Queensryche fan club answering the phone and filling shipping orders. He played really great guitar, so Geoff invited him to play in his solo band, which incidentally features many of the members of Queensryche anyway on various occasions - but plays lighter, "more coffee shop" music that doesn't really fit with the Queensryche program (but is seriously good to anyone who loves Geoff's singing). So when Stone unexpectedly announced plans to leave, Geoff invited Parker to try out playing with the full band on their heavy stuff. Meanwhile, Parker started dating and became engaged to Miranda Tate, Geoff's 21 year old daughter (I met them too, of course). Geoff will be his father-in-law and Susan Tate (Miranda's mom, Geoff's wife) will be Parker's 2nd boss - Miranda being his first of course. (I wonder how THIS is all going to work out. But with Emily Tate (12 years old) singing on the new album really long verses and chorus lines, Queensryche has really become a whole family act. It's kind of like the Osbournes without drugs, too much alcohol, and tons of stupidity).

Nice pics Josh!

Thanks. Here's a new one of me in front of my seat at the San Diego Padres game the other night. I usually sit around here at the ballpark and you will be especially happy to know I'm bringing my Grandpa, Uncle, and Aunt to the Cubs game in August when I'm once more all recovered. (They play the Cubs in another earlier series, but I'm not sure I'll be healed enough to attend. I'll play that one by ear.)

Baseball is cool!

[bobafrett]

Not bad seats Josh. My friend called yesterday, he works for Pepsi, and his boss gave him 4 tickets to todays Cubs game, he asked me if I wanted to go. I do, but I have to work at Wal-Mart, and while I thought long and hard about calling in sick, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.

[TeeEye7]

Searching through some photos today, I came across these oldies of when I attended FBI Post-Bomb Blast school. The first photo is of the hose-draggers putting the fire out after the car was detonated so that we could check for evidence (specifically what type of device was used to blow it up).

Second photo is the result.

Third is of some old f@rt crime scene investigator.

We had to stay well down-range when they torched this one off. The hood flew off about 30 feet as if it were a giant frisbee!